Flat pocket hand lamp



Dec- 25, l951 E. L. scHoFlELD FLAT POCKET HANDLAMP Filed Dec. 26, 194'? ilill lNvgNroR. "10- ar @dadi/@M gym Dec. 25, 1951 E, L, SCHQFIELD 2,579,762

FLAT POCKET HANDLAMP Filed Deo. 26, 194'? 2 SI-IEETS-Sl-IEET 2 Patented Dec. 25, 1951 FLAT POCKET HAND LAMP Earl L. Schofield, Rockford, Ill., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Burgess Battery Company, Freeport, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application December 26, 1947, Serial No. 793,911

4 Claims. (Cl. 24o-10.65)

This invention relates to handlamps and more especially to small sized handlamps which are adapted to be carried in a ladys purse or the pocket oi' a mans coat or vest. However, the invention is not limited to handlamps of such small size but may be used with those of larger size.

It is an object of the invention to provide a handlamp which is structurally simple and ecof nomical and still reliable in its operation.

, In carrying out this object, it is more specifically an object of the invention to provide an improved construction for handlamps which requires but a few parts which are simple and economical of construction.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved handlamp construction in which the energizing cells can be replaced with new ones when they are exhausted by a simple opening of a latched cover at .one end.

It is a further 'object of the invention to provide an improved handlamp construction which, though simple and composed of few parts, maintains the energizing battery or the component cells thereof under compression Within the casing whereby any looseness or rattling is avoided.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved handlamp construction which, in the small size mentioned above, lies conveniently in the hand and the switch operating member lies conveniently for operation by the thumb.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved handlamp construction of the character described in which the switch operating member moves to the on and off positions with a snap.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved handlamp construction of the character described in which the cover, when it is unlatched, is spring-urged to the open position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved handlamp construction of the character described in which the contacts are of a wiping character, including those contacts made by the conductor which connects the cells oi the battery together and the contact made by the switch when it moves from the open to the closed position.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the following description progresses, which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the handlamp of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a conductor which connects the cells of the battery together; Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the conductive switch member for the handlamp;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the casing with the cover removed, that is, showing the casing without the cover, the battery cells, the incandescent lamp, the switch member, and the switch operating member;

Figs. 5 and 6 are rear and f ront views, respectively, of the handlamp with a portion of the wall of the casing broken away;

Fig. '7 is a side view of the handlamp with the cover in the partially open position;

Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are sectional views along lines 8 8, .fl-9, I U-IU and I I--I I, respectively, of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the top end portion of the casing with the cover removed.

The handlamp is composed of a casing which is of generally iiat shape and is preferably small and is adapted to be held conveniently in the palm of the hand or inserted in a ladys purse or in the pocket of a mans coat or vest. The casing is of greater length than width and one Vof its transverse dimensions is substantially greater than the other to provide a generally thin, flattened, elongated conguration. A cover I I is hinged to the casing at one end thereof and an opening I2 is provided at the other end through which a lamp I3 is adapted to project. A second opening I4 is provided adjacent to the opening I2 and a switch operating member I5 has a portion thereof projecting through the last mentioned opening whereby said operating member is adapted to be manipulated by the thumb or other finger to the on and off positions. For convenience, the end of the casing carrying the cover II will be designated as the top, and the wall I9 carrying the operating member I5 will be designated as the front wall.

The casing may be composed of any suitable non-conductive material, such as phenol-formaldehyde resin, and the cover may be composed of a similar material or of conductive metal.

The cover is pivotally supported upon the rear wall Il by means of the pin I8 which passes through the material of the casing and the cover. The front wall I9 of the casing and the iront end of the cover II have cooperating latching elements 20 and 2|, as shown in Fig. 1, and the said casing wall has a depression 22 therein which permits the insertion of a iinger nail for the purpose of unlatching and opening the cover. The cover extends upwardly a short distance above the end oi the casing and has downwardly projecting iianges 24 at the side edges thereof which interiorly overlap the edge portions of the casing sidewalls when the cover is closed. As is shown in Fig. 12, the upper end portion of front wall I9 has a pair of slots 25 adapted to accommodate the said flanges 24.

The opening I2 for the lamp I3 is located adjacent to the rear wall I'I and remote from the `front wall I9. The bottom end of the casing is rounded and has an apex approximately at the opening I2. The iront side I9 recedes relatively gradually from the opening I2; and the operat-V ing member I5 is located substantially midway of the said receding portion. The advantagesl of this arrangement will be described hereinafter. The remainder of the 'sides ofthe casing recede relatively abruptly fromthe-opening I2.

The front wall I9 of the casing has ashoulder 21 projecting inwardly therefrom at the location of the operating member I5, and said shoulder has an extension 28 projecting upwardly therefrom. Shoulder 21 and extension 28=have a slot 35 therein (see Fig. 10.) registering with opening;V I l and ,adaptedtoreceive theoperating member I5., which ,is snpported'- for oscillation upon the pin. 29 which extends acrcssthe slot 33 and is mounted at its endsin shoulder 2i.V

VA socket for the lamp I3 is provided by apluf rality of rib membersZ whichprojectinwardly from the bottom, sideand rear walls` of thecas.-l ing. The said ribmernbers frictionally engage the cylindrical surfacev oiitheY lamp to hold it in place and haveshoulder surfacesiV at their bottom portions which areA adaptedto cooperate with a shoulder upon the lamp to form a positive stop for the lamp in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in which the end terminal 350i the lamp projects upwardly.

Two cylindrical dry, cells 35and 36 are arranged in side-by-side relationship within the casing I5, cell. 3 5 beingarranged toward the rearward wall I'I` and having its; positive terminalt` in contact with the end terminal` 34. of the lamp I3, and cell 35V being arrangedtoward the frontvwall, I5 and having its positive terminal 39 projecting upwardly. Each ,of the cellshas a non-conductive sheathv surrounding thecylindrical wall thereof, and has a negative terminal. exposed at theend thereof opposite to thepositive terminal, in theirnanner, il, which is usual with cylindrical cells of theV char'.. acter disclosed. The two cells are connected inV in Fig. 2,.y It islooped back. upon itself atl both ends and the, end portions 45. andV 4.1" extend diagonally inwardlyand downwardly.- The normalunstressed positionoffend portions andv41 areindicated'inidotted lines in Fig. 1, and' when An elongated resilientconductorll issupportedl upon the .interior'of the front wall' I9 of thecasing and serves as the switch member for the.V

handlamp. Said conductor is in the,4 form faresilient conductive metalvstrip, Vfiat in cross section, as shown inv Fig. 3. It has an upper portion I which is disposed generally vertically between'` frontwall I9.' and cell 3 5, an intermediateportion 52 which extends substantially horizontally b6- cell 33.

tween the lower end of cell and the upper end ofprojection 28, and a lower portion53 which extends diagonally between. the. operating member I5 and the lamp I3. The vertical portion 5I rests inthe groove 54 which is dened by the spaced apart vertical ribs 55 upon the interior surface of thefront wall and is held in position by the flanges 56 which project toward each other from the ribs 55 and underneath which extends the widened section 51 at the lower end of said vertical portion 5 I. Said iianged ribs form hook members whichholdthe switch member in posi" tion. The section 5I above the widened section 51 is bowed inwardly, asshown in Fig. 3, so that f inthe absence of cells from the casing I0., it occupiesl the position shown in dotted linesxin Fig. 1,. Whenthe cellsare in position inthe casing, it is in a stressedcondition and occupies the position shown. in solid' lines, whereby it maintains the cellsunder resilient pressure in a direction laterally of the casing.

The lower end portion53 of the switch member has/a portion which is curvedso asito present a protubcrance or4 convexity 58 to the, operating member I 5',V and theoperating member has a cooperating` depression or concavity 59 upon the surface thereof and apair of convexities 60 and 5I on either side of the said concavity.V These' cooperating elements assistintheswitching' func-f tion upon` manual manipulation of the operat ing memberV I5 as will ,be described hereinafter.

WiththecellsE and? 35 in position and-tbc.

cover II closed, theend portions 135 and 41 of the resilient conductor maintainthe'cells under. resilient compressionv in a direction. longitudinally of. the casing, to preventlooseness and rattlingin such direction.. They alsoY maintain ,the electricalf contacts ofiv thev handlamp in firmv pressure en.-a gagement, that` is, the contact between end r pier-fl tion` andthe positive electrode 35iV of 'cell 35,-'

that. betweenV end portion 41 andthe. negative electrodeofcell `35, thatbetween the positive electrode 3.8. of cellV 35Aand theendterminal 3.4 of lamp4 I3, andthat between the horizontal section.

52 cf conductor. 50 and thenegative electrode-cf which, holds;r the,V section 52 in? contact4 with" the negative terminalof cell136. With the operating,

member I5 in the position shown inV solidlines` in Fig; 1'in whichthe convexity'iirof4 the switch member rests in the cooperating concavity'59 of the operatingmember, thehandlamp is inoperative. rotated by'means; of the finger in'V aclockwise di#e rection (as viewed in` Fig. I) to the-positionin Y dicated in dotted lines. In so doing, the convexityf 58ofswitch1member 50' is moved from the-.con-7 cavityr off the operating.` member to the'- cen-Y vexity 6Ik ofthe latter; andthe lowerportion` 53" of said-switch memberrr is moved`v to the left and the-endfportionthereof makes contact with the cylindrical surfaceri4 offthe'lamp` I3, which is a terminal thereof. The terminals ofthebattery are then connected to the termina1s1oflamp- I3L When itisdesiredfto turn the lamp off again, the

operating4 member I5i's rotated-by the nger in. the opposite direction back tothe position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1,v during which :time the endJ ofithe' switch member moves out of contact with the terminal 62gofcthe lamp I3. The-exposed'pore tionoftheswitch operating member I5 lis knurled asshown,forgready-manipulation byithe nger'g.

and said ,memberis provided withabutmentpor-- tions 54 and 55 whichareadapted toiengageithev interior surface of the casing I0 and limit the The projection 28 forms an abutmentv To turn iti on; tliezoperatingv memberV is travel of the operating member. The convexities E and 6I of the operating member and the convexity 58 of the switch member 50 are so shaped that the operating member moves to the two positions with a snap under the iniiuence of the resilient switch member. While the one-piece switch member 50 possesses the advantage of simplicity, it may be a two-piece member if desired, one piece comprising the spring portion and the other piece comprising the remainder.

The handlamp which has been described possesses many advantages. It is shaped to iit conveniently in the hand, because of the gradually receding shape of the front wall at the portion containing the operating member I5. When it is laid in the palm of the hand with the thumb resting upon the operating member, it ts the natural shape of the hand and no bending or twisting of the hand is required except for the bending of the fingers around the rear wall I'I to prevent the handlamp from falling out of the hand. Also, the direction ofthe light emitted by lamp I3 is the convenient and natural direction for most uses of the handlamp. An additional advantage of the arrangement is that a generally triangular space is provided beside lamp I3 and beneath cell 36 which accommodates the switch parts in a convenient manner.

As has been explained above, the conductive members 40 and 50, in addition to serving as connector and switch member, maintain the cells under resilient pressure in both longitudinal and lateral directions and prevent any looseness or rattling, and also maintain the electrical contacts in firm pressure engagement.

The structure is of extreme simplicity. All that it amounts to is the casing which contains the socket members 32 and the shoulder members 21 and 28 as integral parts thereof, the lamp I3, the cells 35 and 36, the operating member I5 and the conductors 4G and 50. The number of parts is reduced by employing the conductors for the multiple purpose of making electrical connections, maintaining the cells under pressure, and switching.

To replace exhausted cells with fresh ones, all that is required is to open the cover II, which is accomplished by inserting the ngernail in depression 22 under the lip of the cover and pulling the cover open. The cover then springs to the open position under the influence of the resilient end portions 46 and 41 of the conductor 40. The cells 35 and 3B can then be ejected by turning the casing upsidedown and fresh cells can be inserted and the cover again closed. In the latter operation, pressure upon the middle of the cover causes the same to .bend inward slightly whereby the lip 2I of the cover passes rather readily over the latching surface 2U of the casing. The lamp I3 remains in place due to its frictional engagement with ribs 32, but can be removed for replacement by pushing it in an upward direction, as viewed in Fig. l.

'I'he contacts between conductor 40 and the terminals of the cells are wiping contacts, and when the operating member I5 is moved to the on position, the end portion of the conductive switch member is pressed against the side terminal of the lamp I3 with suiilcient pressure that an appreciable bending of the switch member takes place. This results in a wiping contact between the switch member and the lamp terminal whereby a good electrical contact is made with every operation.

While but a. single embodiment is described and illustrated, the invention is not limited thereto and various modifications thereof may be made within the scope of the invention as the same is dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a handlamp, a non-conductive casing having a lamp socket at one end thereof and an openable cover at a portionthereof remote from said socket, a lamp in said socket, a battery in said casing having one terminal in connection with one terminal of said lamp, an abutment in said casing closely adjacent to the second terminal of said battery, a resilient elongated conductive switch member having a irst portion anchored to said casing and in stressed condition between the interior of said casing and a side of said battery and a second portion sandwiched between said abutment and said second terminal, said second portion being urged against said abutment by said second terminal whereby rigid support is provided for said second portion and a positive electrical connection is made with said second terminal, land a third portion adjacent to and normally out of contact with the second terminal of said lamp, and a switch-operating member mounted for oscillation in said casing and having a portion thereof exposed at the exterior of said casing for manual manipulation to the on and off positions, said operating member when moved from the oir to the on position moving said third portion of said switch member vfrom saidl normal position into connection with said Asecond termi-.-4

nal of said lamp.`

2. In a handlamp, a casing having greater length than width and being generally flat in transverse section and having one pair of opposite sides narrower than the other, the forward end of said casing having an opening therein adjacent to one 0f said narrower sides, said end of said casing having an apex at said opening, a battery in the portion of said casing remote from said apex and a lamp in the portion oi said casing adjacent to said apex and exposed at said opening, the wall of said casing sloping gradually from said apex t0 a point of the remote narrow casing side adjacent to the forward end of said battery to provide a generally triangular space beside said lamp and adjacent the end of said battery, a switch mem.- ber located in said space and an exposed switch operating member located on said graduallyY sloping wall of said casing. l

3. In a handlamp, a non-conductive casing of the elongated iiat type, a pair of elongated cells arranged lengthwise of said casing and in side- Icy-side juxtaposed relation in the rearward portion oi' said casing, said cells each having a terminal at each end thereof, said casing having an opening in the forward end thereof forwardly oi the rst of said cells, said casing having a lamp socket therein between said first cell and said opening, a lamp mounted in said socket and projecting through said opening and having one terminal thereof in electrical contact with the forward terminal of said first cell, said casing having a space therein laterally adjacent said lamp and forwardly of the second of said cells, said casing having a fixed internal abutment closely adjacent to the forward terminal of said second cell, an elongated resilient conductive switch member having a iirst portion anchored to said casing adjacent to the side of one of said cells and in stressed condition betweeni said cellll andi: there interim` ofVv said" casing, and; aa second portion l., sandwiched., between; said abut.filentL and,47V thef forward;` terminali of 4 said second cell; said.; second.; portion being,v urged against Saldi; abutment by. said, last, mentioned,

terminal whereby rigid supportV isgprovidedifor said. second portion.. and ar,- positive electrical connection= is made with: said last I nentioned` terminali and; ai third portionv extending for,-` wardlyf from! said: last; mentioned terminaL into said, space, toward; said lampi and terminating in ag.. free; end .portion adjacentzito, and` normally outloffiV contact with thegsecond terminalV ofv said lamp, a-Ff switchw-operatingfv, memllier;` mounted for movement-v, in said casing., and; having: a portion thereof exposed at the exterior of saidl casing and, a 1 secondgpgortion` incooperative relation to i said free end; portion of said switch member, and spring.v means; urging said .first` and second: cellseforwardly intoricontactwith saidiirst men--k tionedI lamp terminal and s aid switch-member at ,said abutmenta respectively,

4;.In, a-KA handlamo, a, non-conductive;` casing generallyi: flat in transverse, section, and hav-ing one.L pair of, opposite sides. narrowerl than. thek other, the forward end zof said i, casing 4having i an openingthereinzadjacent. toone of the narrower sides thereof, l said casing having, anV apexatsaid opening, ailamp socket.:ink said. casing adjacent` to,A said@ opening, a.: larrx,n,ir,1;,said` socket` and ex-v posed4 atl, said l openings. amair.- of., cells inV juxtarf posedrelationl. in said casing and, spaced rear-r wardlye from sad,;apex,the Wallof said casing sloping graduallyif from.; said; apexy ,to afr point of.- the remote narrow casing side adjacent tothe forward end of said. cells to; leavel a generally triangular` spacebesidesaid .lampi andforwardlyf` ofsaidcells; thefforward; terminal of thelrstz. of4 saidI c ellsabeingl in; Contact with, one oft the. terminals of; said. lamp,k said casingv having al. xed internalabutmentinsaid triangular space and; adjacentto` the forward terminal of the.

secondof said cells, aresilientstrip conductiveswitch member within said casing, saidVV strip..l

extendingbetweenlsaidabutment and said forwardterminalof said secondcell and forwardly Vinto said; triangular space and` terminating in aireeendadjacent tosandrnormally outvof con:`

tact i with. the second terminal of*v said lamp, an

exposed switch-operating member located at said;- sloping wall of said casing andbeingin, coop-V erative relationy with said free endportion-of said switch member. Y

EARLL. SCI-IOF'IJEIID.l

REFERENCES CITED The: following references aref of record: in:` the;

le of"thiszpatent2 UNITED STATES PA'I'EN'I'SV 73,877 Austria Oct. ,10,1917 

